sarawakbahai.org

22 December 2008 No Comment

Soon Kam has been recently named as the recipient of the Dean’s Excellence Award for the category of Outstanding Higher Degree Research Student at the Faculty of Built Environment & Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane. Awarded to one each year, this award aims to recognize research students with outstanding performance during their candidature.

Currently also a PhD Scholar of the Australian Cooperative Research Center for Construction Innovation (CRC-CI), Soon Kam’s research has a focus on sustainable infrastructure development – a balanced development approach that gives due attention to social and environment considerations while achieving economic objectives. Fully sponsored by CRC-CI, the research is expected to establish guidelines for sustainable practices specifically in road and highway infrastructure projects development – one that is commonly believed to be crucial for human’s sustainable living on earth. His timely research was welcomed and highly commended by both government and the industry in Australia. Presented in international conferences and seminars, his many academic papers were commented as “a promising research” and “a valuable contribution to the discussion of sustainable concepts for infrastructure projects”.

Professor Jay Yang, a principal supervisor, said he found Soon Kam to be excellent compared to dozens of students whom he had supervised. “His writing is clear, concise and evocative. His research skills of analytical thinking, sharp perception and elucidative expression ideas were well demonstrated”. Professor Jay praised him for his highest level of integrity and sense of commitment.    Soon Kam also did his Masters by research degree under the same supervisor at QUT. He completed the Masters degree six months in advance. At that time, he was also a scholarship recipient.

Graduated in 2001, Soon Kam was the Top Student at the Department of Quantity Surveyor, Fakulti Alam Bina, UTM Skudai. He still maintains a close friendship with his ex-lecturers and professors. In congratulating him for his award, Professor Dr. Sr. Abdul Ghani Khalid commended Soon Kam as “an exemplary student and the most grateful alumnus of the department”.

Growing up as a Baha’i and believing in man’s merits lie in virtues and service to humanity, Soon Kam has a great passion for community. Besides academic excellence, he serves in many NGOs and community development boards and committees. He is an international speaker on moral and spiritual education. He travels widely around the world to share his vision and to inspire others to arise to serve and to contribute positively for common good. Soon Kam was honored as The Outstanding Young Malaysian (TOYM) 2006 in recognition of his outstanding contribution towards the development of moral and spiritual education of children and youths. Subsequently, he was chosen as one of the 30 Finalists of the prestigious Outstanding Young Persons of the World Awards 2007 by the Worldwide Federation of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs (Jaycees).